NameCensus.

UK surname

Lauderdale

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "valley of the River Leader."

In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Lauderdale surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #17,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkmichael, Bellingham, Wark, Thorneyburn (West Tarset) and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Barrow-in-Furness and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lauderdale is 155 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.7%.

1881 census count

123

Ranked #17,506

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

1998

155 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lauderdale had 123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 138 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lauderdale surname distribution map

The map shows where the Lauderdale surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Lauderdale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lauderdale over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 44 #25,328
1861 historical 49 #27,768
1881 historical 123 #17,506
1891 historical 112 #22,291
1901 historical 138 #18,955
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 155 #21,227
1999 modern 155 #21,375
2000 modern 151 #21,684
2001 modern 150 #21,482
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 144 #22,270
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 143 #22,619
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 135 #24,123
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 150 #23,482
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 127 #25,992
2013 modern 134 #25,525
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 135 #25,481
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Lauderdales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkmichael, Bellingham, Wark, Thorneyburn (West Tarset), St Marylebone, Greenock and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, Barrow-in-Furness, Northumberland and Broxburn Kirkhill. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkmichael Ayr
2 Bellingham, Wark, Thorneyburn (West Tarset) Northumberland
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 002 South Tyneside
2 Barrow-in-Furness 006 Barrow-in-Furness
3 Barrow-in-Furness 009 Barrow-in-Furness
4 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
5 Broxburn Kirkhill West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lauderdale

These lists show first names that appear often with the Lauderdale surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lauderdale

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lauderdale, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Lauderdale surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lauderdale household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Lauderdale is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lauderdale is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lauderdale falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lauderdale is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Lauderdale, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lauderdale

The surname Lauderdale originates from Scotland and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the lands of Lauderdale, an area located in the Scottish Borders region. The name is believed to come from the Old English words "hlāw" meaning a hill or mound, and "dæl" meaning a valley or dale.

The earliest recorded use of the name Lauderdale can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One of the signatories was Robert de Lawedre, whose name referred to the lands of Lauderdale.

In the 14th century, the Lauderdale family became prominent landowners in the Scottish Borders region. Sir Robert Lauder of Lauderdale, who lived in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, was a notable figure and is mentioned in various historical records.

The Lauderdale name has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall (1646-1722), was a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord of Session. James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale (1759-1839), was a Scottish politician and diplomat who served as a Secretary of State for Scotland.

Other notable individuals with the surname Lauderdale include:

1. Sir Thomas Dick Lauder (1784-1848), a Scottish novelist and author. 2. Harry Lauder (1870-1950), a Scottish singer and comedian who was one of the most popular entertainers of his time. 3. Brigadier Sir Harry Lauder (1896-1987), a British Army officer who served in both World Wars. 4. Sir John Lauder, Lord Fountainhall (1646-1722), a Scottish judge and legal writer. 5. James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale (1759-1839), a Scottish politician and diplomat.

The name Lauderdale has also been associated with various place names, such as Lauderdale House in London, which was built in the 16th century and served as the residence of the Earls of Lauderdale. Additionally, there are several towns and villages in Scotland that bear variations of the name, including Lauder and Lauderdale.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lauderdale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lauderdale surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 29 Lauderdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.12x.

County Total Index
Durham 29 8.12x
Lancashire 21 1.48x
Northumberland 19 10.64x
Ayrshire 12 13.36x
Renfrewshire 9 9.68x
Surrey 7 1.20x
Yorkshire 7 0.59x
Lanarkshire 6 1.55x
Lincolnshire 4 2.09x
Middlesex 4 0.33x
Wigtownshire 2 12.55x
Angus 1 0.90x
Argyllshire 1 2.99x
Buteshire 1 13.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barrow In Furness in Lancashire leads with 14 Lauderdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.31x.

Place Total Index
Barrow In Furness 14 72.31x
West Greenock 9 53.92x
Houghton Le Spring 8 323.89x
Leemailing 8 10000.00x
Clapham 7 46.67x
Middlesbrough 7 45.22x
Stranton 7 58.24x
Ayr 6 141.51x
Gateshead 6 22.45x
Wark 6 2857.14x
Bishopwearmouth 5 16.32x
Dalmellington 5 189.39x
Dalton In Furness 5 90.91x
Govan 4 4.17x
Great Grimsby 4 32.84x
St Marylebone London 4 6.24x
Elswick 2 14.04x
Mochrum 2 210.53x
Barony 1 1.02x
Bute North 1 204.08x
Carnforth 1 128.21x
Cowpen 1 24.33x
Craig 1 93.46x
Dunoon Kilmun 1 38.46x
Glasgow 1 1.45x
Great Harwood 1 38.91x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 6.47x
Kirkharle 1 2000.00x
Staindrop 1 185.19x
Straiton 1 196.08x
Tarretburn 1 1666.67x
Westoe 1 4.94x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Lauderdale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Jane 6
Margaret 5
Mary 5
Sarah 4
Ann 2
Eleanor 2
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eizabeth 1
Eliza 1
Elizzer 1
Emily 1
Haishle 1
Hannah 1
Hestent 1
Jean 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Maggie 1
Margt. 1
Margt.A. 1
Maria 1
Rachael 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Lauderdale surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 12
William 10
Robert 5
Edward 3
George 3
James 3
Joseph 2
Robt. 2
Ant. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Moses 1
Saml 1
Thomas 1
W.M. 1

FAQ

Lauderdale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lauderdale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Lauderdale surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lauderdale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Lauderdale a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Lauderdale surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "valley of the River Leader."

What does the Lauderdale map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lauderdale bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.